The Wallabies and Springboks have played out just their second draw in history with the sides holding on for a breathtaking 23-all tie in Perth.
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It was a game of errors, mistakes and scrappy rugby for the most part but the contest came alive in the second half thanks to a see-saw of momentum and field position late in the game.
A charged down drop goal attempt from Elton Jantjies after the fulltime siren was the final chance gone begging for the Springboks who remain undefeated in 2017.
The Wallabies, on the other hand, remain winless in the Rugby Championship, giving up a 10-point lead in the second stanza to share the points.
The first half was certainly a game of rugby you wouldn’t be showing someone new to the sport as the Wallabies struggled to figure out the lineout, being beaten at scrum time as well for the most part.
After sharing early penalty goals and a 3-3 scoreline, Jesse Kriel scored the first try of the game, bagging a breakaway meat pie off a turnover in the ruck, something the Boks dominated with most of the night.
It was short-lived glory though with the Wallabies hitting back off the next kickoff thanks to a bit of Kurtley Beale magic through a sea of defenders to bring the scores back to level.
Australia were able to take a 13-10 lead into the halftime break thanks to a second penalty goal to Bernard Foley.
Both sides came out of the sheds with a higher-intensity game with both sides of the park looking to break away with the contest.
Tatafu Polota-Nau was the beneficiary early in the second 40 of a beautiful rolling maul that went completely against the run of play in the scrum and maul for the rest of the night.
The Boks, trailing by 10, pounced on another penalty goal opportunity before running rampant with the rolling maul just minutes later to score a try of their own and take the lead with time running out.
Foley’s fifth and final successful shot on goal evened things up at 23 a piece with 10 minutes to go.
Frantic and hugely entertaining final stages of the game couldn’t find a winning play from either side as penalties continued to haunt both sides at competing ends of the park.
South Africa give up their lead at the top of the Championship standings after the All Blacks got up over the Pumas.
For Australia, they just move ahead of the Argentines with this draw and a bonus point to their name.
PeterK
Roar Guru
Hodge kicked for line this game, about time
PeterK
Roar Guru
yes quite a while ago, before the june tests, as soon as i saw he made the wallaby squads mind you it looks like a retrograde upgrade , one where the upgrade is worse a lot like windows 8
Hoy
Roar Guru
John Eales, Stirling Mortlock, Halfpenny, etc... 5/8s don't have a mortgage on kicking penalties/goals. Like they don't have a mortgage on kicking for line... except ours does.
enoughisenough
Guest
Foley only had 100% goal kicking in this game because he gave the only difficult one to Hodge. Lets be realistic about Foley's shocking limitations as a 10.
100%, and South Africa is renaging on their part of this time honoured tradition by having been underperforming for 20 years. Those who so fondly talk about the rivalry is trying to hold onto a legacy that has been dimishing for twenty years now. We need to stop living in this bubble of trying to place ourselves on this "elevated " status New Zealand find themselves on, we have been humiliated too many times recently to realistically speak of any rivalry. The rivalry has simply turned to fond memories and history
DavSA
Guest
Panic attack!
DavSA
Guest
Rivalry is not just about on field outcomes BB. There is a tradition , rivalry , friendship ,tension and mutual love for the game which supersedes any other rugby playing nations on earth . Let's not undervalue all that because we haven't beaten the All Blacks for a long time. S..t no one else has either but SA still with all our baggage have come closest . SA and NZ have walked a very long road together , I would need a lot more space than this column to try and even document it. It is not for any of us to even attempt to undermine that relationship. Better people than all of us has forged it.
Yes, psdt, mostert and Etzebeth are a great combo as is, we just need whiteley back
Harry Jones
Expert
All he really had to do was dummie the drop and start an easy overlap...
Harry Jones
Expert
2 tries; one sort of odd.
Harry Jones
Expert
I keep waiting for Coetzee to not be the second coming of Willie le Roux. Too many tricks. First, play the core stuff flawlessly. Don't need so many Wild options.
Harry Jones
Expert
PSDT is a lock's lock. Under the new laws, as refereed, got to have a fast, agile back row.
Harry Jones
Expert
PeterK: I like the nickname "Mumm 2.0." Did you invent it?
Harry Jones
Expert
Both teams had false dawns, but OZ's was falser?
double agent
Guest
You can't be serious? Ever heard of Hannake Meyer? He has the most hilarious coach reactions in history!!
double agent
Guest
I enjoyed the game.
double agent
Guest
Agree Sheek.
double agent
Guest
The ABs are not the team that it was? What leads you to this conclusion? Is it the fact that they keep on winning?
double agent
Guest
Agree.
double agent
Guest
I know we're talking Wallabies but fair dinkum the Springboks were fairly ordinary themselves. The 9 is just terrible and it doesn't get much better .